Vapor apparatus.



w, T. BIRDSALL.

VAPOR APPARATUS.

A'PP'LJCAHOK FILED MAY 4. I915- 1,251,628. I Patented Jan. 1,1918.

WITNESSES v INVENTOR WW W/7/red Z'B/rdsa/A BY 7 7 ATTDRNEY UNITED STATES P TENT orrron.

WILFRED '1. BIRDSALL, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

VAPOR APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed May 4, 1915'. Serial No. 25,866.

.a cathode, in apparatus of the character specified, which shall have a low negativeelectrode reluctance so as to be self-exciting.

In the operation of vapor rectifiers, it is a well known fact that the cathode must give oif electrons or ionized material continuously in order to furnish current carriers for the arc path. The customary method of providing thisv ionization is by means of a separate keep-alive circuit. By

-zny invention, I avail myself of the well known phenomenon that vapors or gases become ionized, or assume a condition favorable for ionization by the application thereto of an electric field, when subject to certain conditions, or changes of conditions, of pressure and temperature. I provide, therefore, a rectifier having a cathode composed of a jet of mercury vapor that is preferably supplied from the mercury within the container and is passed through a suitable heating device for vaporization.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a side view, partially in section and partially in elevation, of a rectifier embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a composite container, comprising a metallic cover 1, an insulating ring 2 and a metallic cup 3, is sealed by suitable mercury joints 4-4 and is exhausted by any suitable means, as is common in the rectifier art. A pool 5 of suitable reconstructing va-porizable material of a conducting nature, such, for example,

as mercury, cadmium amalgam or lithium,

is contained in the cup member 3. Mercury derived from the pool 5 is supplied by a pipe 6 to a heating device 7 and is there vaporized, and the vapor preferably superheated, by any suitable means, such as a gas burner 8. Vapor from the heating device 7 is supplied to the upper portion of the cover member 1 by a pipe 9. llhe pipe system between the cover 1 and the pool 5 is provided with an insulating device 10 located at a convenient point in the system for preventing short circuiting between the members 1 and 3, either through the pipe or the material in it. Any suit-able source 11 of alternating current is connected between the cup-member 1 and the cup memher 3 througha suitable load, such, for example, as a battery 12.

Having thus described the construction of my rectifier, the operation is as follows: At the outset, the heating device 8 is started into operation and mercury, derived from the pool 5, is vaporized and the vapor pref erably highly superheated for supply to the container, into which it issues in the form of a jet 13. The jet 13 will give unmistakable evidences of ionization, caused, according to one theory, by the intermolecular collisions therein, and, according to another theory, by oscillations which take place when the vapor is expanded suddenly. Upon closing the circuit from the source 11 by a suitable switch 14, waves of current will be allowed to flow from the pool 5 to the jet 13 because the negative-electrode reluctance 0f the latter will be continuously broken down, and ions will be continually furnished for supporting the arc. Waves of the other polarity will not be permitted to flow, however. because of the fact that the negative electrode reluctance of the pool '5 is not broken down. Unidirectional current will, therefore, flow through the bat- Under certain conditions, it is desirable to provide means for heating the cathode nozzle to incandescence because there is then very little resistance to the fiow of current between the vapor and the solid. The presence of electrons, given off by the incandescent nozzle, materially aids in the ionization -of the jet or blast.

With rectifiers of large capacity, it is necessary, in order to maintain a sufficiently 1. The combination with an evacuated container, of means for introducing a blast of conducting vapor 'thereinto, an electrode insulated from said blast, and connections from a source of alternating current to said blast and to said additional electrode, whereby all waves of one polarity of said alternating current will be suppressed.

2. The combination with an evacuated container, of a pool of vaporizable reconstructing conducting material therein, means for-introducing a jet of conducting vapor into said container, said blast being insulated from said pool and a source of a1ternating current connected between said jet and said pool, whereby allwaves of one polarity of said alternating current will be suppressed.

3. The combination with an evacuated container, of a pool of vaporizable reconstructing conducting material therein, means for introducing a et of conducting vapor of said reconstructing material into said container, means for insulating said blast from said pool, and a source of alternating current connected between said jet and said pool, whereby all waves of one polarity of said alternating current will be suppressed.

4. The combination with an evacuated container, of a pool of vaporizable reconstructing conducting material therein, means for abstracting materia from said pool,

heating said material to form a vapor therea from, and for supplying said vapor to the interior of said container in the form of an expanding jet, whereby said vapor is rendered conducting, means for insulating said pool from said blast, and a source of alternating current connected between said pool and said jet, whereby all waves of one polarity of said alternating current will be suppressed.

, 5. An electrode for vapor electric apparatus comprising solely a jet of conducting vapor.

6. A cathode for vapor electric apparatus comprising solely a jet of conducting vapor.

7. A self-exciting cathode for vapor electricapparatus comprising a jet of conductlng vapor.

8. A self-exciting cathode for vapor electric apparatus comprising a jet of mercury vapor.

9. A vapor rectifier provided with an anode comprising a pool of mercury and with a cathode comprising a jet of mercury vapor. I

10. The combination with means for producing a jet of conducting vapor, of means for maintaining an electric are between said jet and another electrode.

11. The combination with means for producing a jet of conducting vapor, of means for maintaining an electric arc thereto.

12. The combination with means for producing a jet of mercury vapor, of means for maintaining an electric arc thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of April,

WILFRED T. BIRDSALL. Witness: I ALFRED H. EDGERLEY. 

